Oshawa plans first major roundabout for the city

Roundabout to be located at Conlin Road West and Thornton Road

Oshawa plans first major roundabout for the city

Metroland file photo

UXBRIDGE -- This Uxbridge roundabout at Brock Street and Concession 6 opened in 2011. A larger roundabout is planned for Oshawa at the Conlin Road West and Thornton Road North intersection. Novmber 2012

Oshawa plans first major roundabout for the city

Metroland file photo

UXBRIDGE -- This Uxbridge roundabout at Brock Street and Concession 6 opened in 2011. A larger roundabout is planned for Oshawa at the Conlin Road West and Thornton Road North intersection. Novmber 2012

OSHAWA -- Oshawa residents may soon be driving in circles as the City moves forward with plans for its first major roundabout.

It will be located at the Conlin Road West and Thornton Road intersection.

Gary Carroll, the City's director of engineering services, said the plan for the roundabout came out of a 2010 environmental assessment of Conlin Road between the Whitby-Oshawa border and Simcoe Street North.

The assessment showed that the busy intersection required improvement. It currently has four-way stop signs, and engineers determined that a roundabout was preferred over a traditional traffic signal.

Since it's the first major roundabout the city wil

"We're planning for the long-term scenario here, this whole corridor has seen a lot of growth with the university and Durham College expanding," said Mr. Carroll.

He explained that the plan is for a modern roundabout with splitter islands separating lanes of traffic heading in and out of it. The road would have two lanes in each direction on Conlin Road and one lane in each direction on Thornton.

The Conlin Road portion of the road will include multi-use trails, sidewalks and accommodations for cyclists and pedestrians.

The centre of the roundabout will be 170 feet across. Mr. Carroll said this could be landscaped with the roundabout area serving as a gateway to the city.

The project is expected to cost approximately $635,000. Mr. Carroll said the roundabout will initially cost about 15 per cent more than a traditional traffic signal, mainly because of property acquisition, but it would have lower maintenance costs once built.

"Over the 30-year life cycle those costs are far exceeded by the savings," he said.

Development services committee members approved spending $67,500 in November to Ourston Roundabout Engineering for the design of the roundabout and public awareness activities, likely to include a public information centre meeting.

"Since it's the first major roundabout the city will see, we want to make sure the public is fully informed on this," said Mr. Carroll, adding that could involve a flash animation showing vehicles moving through the roundabout.

Coun. Nester Pidwerbecki asked if the Oshawa roundabout would be similar to the one built in Uxbridge by the Region at Concession 6 and Brock Street. Mr. Carroll said the traffic volumes would be significantly higher in Oshawa.

"We have had some feedback from Uxbridge and the people who are using it are very, very happy," said Coun. Pidwerbecki.

Reporter Reka Szekely covers the City of Oshawa for Metroland Media Group’s Durham Region Division. Reka's social media column appears every other week. Contact her on Facebook, Twitter (@rszekely)